Banking Giant Barclays Ditches Lobbyist Firm Tied to Embattled Ex-Labour Minister Peter Mandelson Over Epstein Scandal
Barclays has reportedly severed ties with lobbying firm Global Counsel, which was co-founded by former Labour minister Peter Mandelson in 2010. The move comes amid intense scrutiny over Mandelson's dealings with late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Financial Times reported that Barclays dropped the firm due to frustration over its handling of Mandelson's remaining stake. The banking giant had been working with Global Counsel for some time, but it appears that the partnership has become untenable in light of recent revelations about Mandelson's relationship with Epstein.
Vodafone, another major client of Global Counsel, said it was reviewing its contract for public affairs services after reports emerged of the firm's involvement with Epstein. The telecoms giant did not confirm whether it would renew its deal, but indicated that a decision had yet to be made.
The news comes as Mandelson faces growing pressure over his ties to Epstein. The former minister resigned from the Labour party on Sunday following a major political scandal that has sparked calls for greater transparency within the government.
Emails released by the US Department of Justice investigation into Epstein's activities have revealed a close relationship between Mandelson and the late offender, including regular sharing of sensitive information about government policy. The further allegation that Mandelson leaked confidential information to Epstein has triggered a major crisis for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Other businesses, including hedge fund Rokos Capital Management, have also distanced themselves from Mandelson over his dealings with Epstein. The firm had been in talks to provide an advisory role to the former minister, but terminated the discussions after reports emerged of his involvement with Epstein.
The scandal has left a trail of questions about Mandelson's judgment and fitness for office. Starmer has apologised for appointing Mandelson as ambassador to the US despite knowing about his ties to Epstein, and has called on the government to release more information about Mandelson's role at Palantir, a military technology firm with deep ties to Donald Trump's administration.
As the fallout from this scandal continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how far-reaching the repercussions will be for Global Counsel, Barclays, and other businesses that have been linked to Mandelson.
Barclays has reportedly severed ties with lobbying firm Global Counsel, which was co-founded by former Labour minister Peter Mandelson in 2010. The move comes amid intense scrutiny over Mandelson's dealings with late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Financial Times reported that Barclays dropped the firm due to frustration over its handling of Mandelson's remaining stake. The banking giant had been working with Global Counsel for some time, but it appears that the partnership has become untenable in light of recent revelations about Mandelson's relationship with Epstein.
Vodafone, another major client of Global Counsel, said it was reviewing its contract for public affairs services after reports emerged of the firm's involvement with Epstein. The telecoms giant did not confirm whether it would renew its deal, but indicated that a decision had yet to be made.
The news comes as Mandelson faces growing pressure over his ties to Epstein. The former minister resigned from the Labour party on Sunday following a major political scandal that has sparked calls for greater transparency within the government.
Emails released by the US Department of Justice investigation into Epstein's activities have revealed a close relationship between Mandelson and the late offender, including regular sharing of sensitive information about government policy. The further allegation that Mandelson leaked confidential information to Epstein has triggered a major crisis for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Other businesses, including hedge fund Rokos Capital Management, have also distanced themselves from Mandelson over his dealings with Epstein. The firm had been in talks to provide an advisory role to the former minister, but terminated the discussions after reports emerged of his involvement with Epstein.
The scandal has left a trail of questions about Mandelson's judgment and fitness for office. Starmer has apologised for appointing Mandelson as ambassador to the US despite knowing about his ties to Epstein, and has called on the government to release more information about Mandelson's role at Palantir, a military technology firm with deep ties to Donald Trump's administration.
As the fallout from this scandal continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how far-reaching the repercussions will be for Global Counsel, Barclays, and other businesses that have been linked to Mandelson.
... sounds like they were getting a bit too cozy with Peter Mandelson's questionable dealings over Jeffrey Epstein 
. Can't say I blame them - who wants to be associated with someone who shares sensitive info with a convicted child sex offender? 
It's like, come on, people need to start taking responsibility for their actions and not just trying to spin the narrative to save face 
. This whole thing is just a mess, and it's gonna take some real guts (and integrity) for Keir Starmer to get to the bottom of this scandal 
...
like how did someone get so close to him? I mean I know he was a big deal but that's just crazy. and barclays dropping their lobbyist firm because of it? that's wild 
I need to do some research on who global counsel is tho, sounds sketchy lol what's the deal with palantir tho? sounds like some spy stuff 
. I mean, who needs a lobbying firm that has connections to Epstein? It's like they say, 'you are who you surround yourself with' 
. That's gotta be a wake-up call for businesses like Global Counsel.
. It's interesting to see how businesses are distancing themselves from him.
. The data says it all - 75% of people want stricter regulation on lobbying firms and 65% believe that politicians should be subject to public scrutiny 
This whole Epstein scandal thing is a perfect example of how easy it can be for those in positions of power to abuse their influence and put themselves above the law. The fact that multiple high-profile figures have been caught up in this mess just goes to show that when people are trusted with too much power, they often use it for personal gain rather than serving the greater good 
they're already dealing with so much scrutiny over financial stuff... now they gotta worry about being associated with someone who was friends with a pedophile? it's just another layer of complexity in an already messy system 
banking giants are always one step behind when it comes to ethics lol just saw barclays ditching their lobbyist firm over epstein scandal what a late move tbh i mean who knew barclays was working with global counsel in the first place anyhoo vodafone is reviewing its contract and rokos capital management terminated talks 
I'm kinda surprised Barclays is cutting ties with Global Counsel over this Epstein thing 
. At first glance, it seems like a total PR nightmare for them 
. But then you think about it... maybe this move will help restore trust in the financial industry 
? I mean, if companies are already distancing themselves from Mandelson's shady dealings, maybe Barclays is just ahead of the game 
. It could be a silver lining in an otherwise dark cloud 
️. Plus, you've gotta respect the pressure coming down on the gov't to get more transparent 
. Maybe this scandal will force them to do some much-needed soul-searching 
global counsel is toast 
...I reckon they might've had some red flags anyway 
